Non-Fiction
by insertmangos
Summary: Azami, who works at the public library, notices a certain white-haired boy who seems go be having trouble with school, and his classmates.


Azami's eyes lifted up from her book and scanned the person-ridden library. Usually, the library was scarcely used by the public, as the town just one over had a larger, more up-to-date library. However, the dreaded Exam Season was coming up, and broke high-school students are broke high-school students who cram everything they can get thier hands on in the last week, after all. Last year, she was part of the crowd she now had to inform where the non-fiction section was, even though it was clearly written on the signs. Although, instead of "inform," Azami would just rudely point to the sign without looking up.

She looked at the bustling crowd of bustling students, and even though they were all whispering, the din of the students angered her. An eye twitched. She ground her teeth. These people really got on her nerves.

"Excuse me, Miss?" A smiling face looked down at her, a refreshing feeling flowing from his wide smile. The late after-school sunset lit up his white as snow hair.

Azami looked up, and all she felt was annoyance. /This guy../ Azami thought. /he seems really aloof. He's really getting on my nerves./

"What." She said. Most people ignored her unless they were in desperate need to find something. The strange librarian with black, wavy hair and piercing red eyes had a reputation of not being the nicest, after all.

"uh... Well, I was just wondering, if you had any books on Ancient Greece, other than 'Ancient Greece Through the Years' because I cant find any, and someone else is using that book." he laughed it off, scratching his cheek.

"No." Azami returned to her book.

"oh, uh, well, in that case, could you teach me?"

Azami's eyes snapped back to the boy. What did he say?

"Well, you're Azami, right? You were in the top 10 last year for my advanced Ancient Cultures Class. Mr. Tucker talked a lot about how you were really smart. Oh, and how you picked fights a lot."

Azami grimaced. /talking about me?/ she wondered. "well, he never told you that I don't care, now did he? Get lost, your best bet is to look online or something." As the boy was walking away, Azami called out."Last year, the essay questions were about greek monsters."

He looked back and smiled at her. "thank you Miss Azami!"

Azami returned to her book as the annoying boy tried to find an open computer in the library. She knew that he wouldn't be able to find one. There were only four computers in the library after all, and Azami knew they were already taken. But that didnt concern her. What did concern her was that her shift was almost over, meaning she could roam the fiction section, looking for more books. Only ten more minutes.

Turning the pages of her book, she got a tap on the shoulder. Mrs. DeWitt, Azami's senior librarian was there.

"Azami, darling. You can be off early, if you want. You probably know some of these kids from when you were in school, right? You can get off and talk to some if you want."

Azami smiled at Mrs. DeWitt. Mrs. DeWitt was kind, and Azami couldn't explain that these kids "hate her and has bullied her ruthlessly when she was in school."

"Yeah." Azami said. "I know some of them."  
-

Azami walked through the halls with the required textbook, homework done and ready to turn in, and two pencils in a bag slung over her black dress. She wanted to get to class before any of the other students found her.

Unfortunately, that didnt exactly go to plan. Two boys stepped out from a hallway in unison. They had wicked smiles on thier faces, and one had a knife in thier hand.

"You're not going to use that." Azami said, staring at the boy's eyes with as much confidence as she could muster. Usually, this tactic would work. The bully would wonder if Azami knew if she could defend herself, and run away. Having evil red eyes doesn't hurt.

"Well, just a little" the boy said, tossing it around, unfazed. Suddenly, the second one lunged at her, throwing a punch. She saw it coming, and stepped to the side. Suddenly, anger spilled to the surface. Anger and a question. "Why do they all hate me?"

Azami sighed as she looked at the Fiction section of the library. There were only a handful of books that interested her, and even less that she hadn't read yet. She was about to pick one out that sounded good. It was about kids who got eye powers from an ancient monster. It seemed complicated, but pretty good. But as did, she heard a familiar voice whisper "why do you all hate me?" In a sad tone she recognized.

A swift jab into the first boy's stomach dropped him, but the second one kept advancing with a knife. He was taller, and had the extra reach of a knife. Azami couldn't get close without putting herself in danger.

"why?" She asked. She dealt with this for years. First, it was a little-more-than-harmless teasing over her pale completion and her deep red eyes. Then, it was tripping her in hallways and claiming she cheated on tests. Eventually, it had escalated to having to fight every day.

"why do you all hate me?" She asked. She felt something hot coming from her eyes.

The attacker laughed. "oh man, the evil monster is crying! Oh man, this is gold! Its because we hate you, Azami! That's all it is."

As the boy was gloating his soon-to-be victory, Azami delivered a swift kick in between his legs, and he dropped. She felt terrible. She always knew that they hated her, but having it said aloud... But if they hated her, then she guessed it was finally time to return the favor. She kicked the tall boy again, and again.  
-

"It's because we hate you, Tsukihiko! That's all it is."

Azami gritted her teeth. This wasn't her problem to solve, but this was HER library. HER safe place. If they were here, then-

Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard a hit, and another, and suddenly she heard someone fall. Stepping from around the corner, she saw the boy who talked to her earlier, lying on the ground, arms bound by the smaller of the two attackers.


End file.
